


a new year

by faerietell



Series: the way you look at me [3]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: F/M, More Fluff, New Year's Eve, OR IS IT, Zutara, Zutara Month 2016, Zutara Month Day 3, what are we calling it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-02
Updated: 2017-01-02
Packaged: 2018-09-14 03:06:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 328
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9157396
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/faerietell/pseuds/faerietell
Summary: NEXT TIME I'M WRITING ANGST ENOUGH OF THIS FLUFF





	

He had never expected to see another year rise. 

Zuko had never expected to survive. 

He hadn't been made for it. His father had banished him to die, and the loss of his honor had been worst than any death he could imagine. He chased myths around the globe until he had found Aang, the boy with blue arrow tattoos, the  _boy_. Sometimes, as the ocean swayed him to sleep, he imagined a noble death at the hands of the Avatar, the fate of being a martyr. The Avatar was no killer. Nor his friends. The blind Earthbender was barely more than a child, and the water tribe boy was only becoming a warrior. As for the blue-eyed waterbender, he didn't want to die by her hands. Yet here he was. Alive. 

"You deserve it," said Katara, following him to the balcony. His eyes were still shut, but he could see her. Blue eyes brilliant against the canvas of the night sky, the red-gold flares of fire casting light over her earthy skin. When he didn't reply, she clasped his hands in hers. "You  _do_." 

His own golden eyes open, and he kissed her hand. "You deserve better." 

"Maybe," her arms encircled his neck. "But I don't think I want better, Firelord." 

She always did this. But so did he. They fell prey to their own demons, but they were never alone. She reminded him that he was not his father, that he couldn't be. He reminded her that she was no puppeteer, that this was more gift than curse. Fireworks blazed the sky, and he kissed her fiercely, achingly. It wasn't like kissing light or darkness. It wasn't water or fire. It was purely Katara, the way her breath caught and the warmth of her body lined against his own. "Happy New Year, waterbender." 

She slapped his arm, and he laughed. 

"Firelady," he amended, and this time she was the one yanking him down for another kiss. 

**Author's Note:**

> NEXT TIME I'M WRITING ANGST ENOUGH OF THIS FLUFF


End file.
